Healthy, Sustainable Communities Group - May 15

A City That Works - May 15, 2008
Healthy, Sustainable Communities Discussion Group at the Einstein Medical Center

There were 20 to 22 people in the group, some from District Council offices.

What does this goal mean to you?

• Better recreation centers – state of the art computers.

• Healthy environment – clean and safe.

• Tree-lined streets.

• Clean sidewalks.

• Litter and graffiti free neighborhoods.

• Clean and legal food establishments with healthy food offerings.

• No vacant buildings.

• No dog poop.

• Businesses employ local people who can then walk to work.

• No drug dealers in vacant lots or in the community in general.

• Repair buildings that don’t have to be torn down.

• Skating rinks and public libraries with after school programs.

• More skateboard parks.

• Well-lit and clean streets and alleys.

• Neighbors knowing what can be done about vacant/neglected properties.

• Multicultural neighborhoods.

• More and well-maintained greenery.

• More shopping malls with good restaurants.

• Adult exercise opportunities.

Performance measures (What success would look like)

• Number of residents working on problems – community participation.

• Percentage of corners with covered trash cans.

• Number of inspections to check on citizen compliance with trash rules.

• Number of parenting classes at recreation centers.

• 100 percent of all eateries have food inspection reports posted prominently.

• Reduction in juvenile crime from 3-6 p.m. as a measure for recreation center programs.

• More well-maintained greenery, trees and bushes, as measured by the # of acres of green cover.

• Citizen advisory board that meets quarterly, particularly to improve recreation centers.  The performance measured by percentage of recommendations taken.

• Number of recreation programs that have joint programs for old and young.

• Percentage of recreation centers with full adult supervision with less dependence on the # of volunteers.

• A drop in percentage of kids in trouble as a measure of success of recreation centers.

• Zero children on the street during school hours. 

Customer-service standards

• No wait on phone longer than five minutes.

• Every call answered by a real person.

• Friendly and knowledgeable person answers and can direct you to the right person to help you.

• Get a ticket number and name when you call with a call back within 24 hours.

• Checks to Dept of Revenue cashed within 5 business days.

• Calls to L & I are responded to within 5 business days to report how long it will be until there is a resolution and then a call to tell you what they did.

• Assistance for multiple languages plus senior citizens.

• Post a legal notice for demolition to insure what is being done is legal.